


a real brother

by SalazarTipton



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Bingo, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Drabble, Emotional Hurt, Family Issues, Gen, No beta we die like mne, Prompt Fill, good guy noah
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-05-09
Packaged: 2020-01-01 09:02:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18332876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SalazarTipton/pseuds/SalazarTipton
Summary: Prompt: “i gave up on you a long time ago.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sabrinachill](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabrinachill/gifts).



“What do you expect me to do, Maxwell? Wash my hands and suddenly be a completely different person to fit into your world view? Fuck you,” Michael says.

“Don’t worry. I’d never expect you to do something for anyone else. I gave up on you a long time ago,” Max says with a shrug as if he’s talking about his grocery list and not tearing his brother’s heart to pieces.

It’s not often that someone can leave Michael speechless, but Max has always had a penchant for exceeding his expectations in the worst ways possible. He stops in his tracks, rocking back on his heels with his back turned to him.

“Yeah. You’ve made that incredibly clear over the last few days.” Anger isn’t coming out in his words. No, instead each syllable is quiet and dripping with the hurt Max’s caused him over the past decade of using him as the scapegoat for all the things wrong in his life. If only he really knew… Michael grits his teeth, picks his hat up off of the coffee table and walks out of the room.

The door out towards the fire pit slams shut behind him, shaking the glass. No one moves until Max lets out a disappointed sigh, as if Michael’s the one letting him down right now. Liz gets up and walks towards Max, but she doesn’t stop. She doesn’t even glance at him as she follows after Michael.  

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Noah asks from his spot on the couch.

Max spins around to look at him sporting an expression that sends a trill of rage down Noah’s spine. He opens his mouth, but he doesn’t let Max get far enough in his thought to dig himself any deeper of a hole.

“Now I try and keep to myself and keep the peace with you, always have, but I can’t just sit here and let you talk to my brother like that.” Max takes a step back with a confused head shake.

“Noah, baby, you don’t–”

“Izzy,” he saying, sending her frown he hopes she reads into correctly. She frowns back at him, but nods and sits back to watch what he needs to get out.

“He’s not your brother,” Max gets out as if he’s talking to a confused kid. It’s his placating cop voice and it’s not doing anything to sooth down Noah’s hackles.

“When I married Isobel, I joined your family whether you like it or not–including Michael. He’s been more of a brother to my wife than you have the entire time I’ve known you. Whenever Isobel needs something, he’s there without question and doesn’t ask for anything in return. When she’s off with you, I know it’s because you need something, not the other way around.

“And when it’s come to me? God, all Michael’s ever done is be welcoming and supportive! He and I had this great heart-to-heart the night before the wedding about how he’s glad to call me his brother and have me in the family–that he knew I’d treat Isobel like a goddess or something. And what about you, huh? You barely even spoke to me through the entire event. Hell, you’ve barely tolerated me being around in all the years since!”

Noah pauses to slow down his breathing. He knows he’s getting too riled up and should adopt his court manners or something, but for the life of him he can’t think of why Max would deserve anything less than the reading down he wants to give him right now.

“He’s not related to us, Noah. He’s just our…friend,” Max says. From the plume of rage he feels tug in the back of his bond with Isobel, he realizes that might have been the worst thing he could have said.

“He’s our fucking brother! He’s our  _family_. What the hell’s gotten into your head?” she asks him, getting up from the couch to stalk towards him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is for sarah since she really, reeeeaaaalllllllyyyyyy wanted me to continue this

Liz closes the door behind herself and looks around the back patio, stopping when she spots Michael a little ways away from the house with his back to her, hands on his hips, and his hat haloed by the moonlight. She pulls her cardigan around herself to block out the wind as she makes her way over to him leaving the house and the muffled, angry voices behind. 

“Hey,” she says in a soft-tones whisper, unsure of what she should be doing to help him. 

He ducks his head down to his chest. “It’s getting cold. You don’t need to be out here.”

“And neither do you, yet here we are.”

Michael sighs and finally glances towards her. In the small movement, Liz can make out the tears clinging to his waterline and the hollowness in his eyes. He doesn’t try to hide the hurt radiating out of him like he was inside. Liz feels a sad warmth bloom in her chest knowing that he trusts her enough to let her really see him right now when he’s so fragile. He clears his throat before looking back up at the stars over the expanse of desert. 

“When Max found out about Isobel and I sending you away,” Michael starts, “well, he was pissed. I showed up here a little bit after and he told me to get off his property--that we weren’t family or  _ anything really _ .”

Liz reaches out her hand to hold Michael’s. She gives it a small squeeze, urging him to go on.

“But that wasn’t the worst part, you know? Because then he decided to throw Alex in my face. I mean, I didn’t even know he had any idea about all that and then there he is, disowning me and reminding me that nobody wants me. Not family, not the love of my life--” Michael cuts himself off before his voice can start shaking anymore. 

The tears are starting to spill down his cheeks and he can’t get them to stop. He’s grateful that Liz hasn’t said anything. He’s never had to stomach to handle being pitied. He risks another look over to her, just to check that she’s not feeling sorry for him. Instead of sadness on her face, he sees hard line and her jaw clenching. He goes to pull his hand away, but she won’t let him. 

Instead, Liz pulls him towards her and envelops him in crushing hug with her arms wrapped so tightly around his middle that he thinks it might making breathing difficult if he weren’t already having problems biting back tiny cries. He hugs her back, letting his head duck down and rest against her shoulder. 

“I’ve got you, Mikey. I’ve got you,” she whispers to him. She closes her eyes when he starts shaking in her arms. A thought passes through her mind about why Michael seems to need permission to let go, but she pushes it aside. Now’s not the time to get lost in her head trying to follow that train.

Liz moves her hand without pulling away to take off Michael’s hat so she can cup the back of his head and try to soothe him, running her fingers through his curls. When the shaking stops and his breathing is even, Liz lets him pull away, but doesn’t let him get very far. 

They’ve known each other for almost fifteen years and in all that time, Liz can’t think of a time she’s ever seen Michael look so open. Logically, she knew that hiding what he is and what he (and his siblings) have done have weighed down on him, but now she can actually see the difference between a Michael burdened down with secrets and one with light shoulders, but a heart heavier than everything else could have been. She had no idea Michael and Alex were friends let alone ‘love-of-my-life’ level of involved, but that’s not what right now is about, she has to remind herself. She’s dedicated to being a better friend. 

Michael lets her brush the tear stains off of his face. Her attempts at calming his wild curls brings a small smile to his lips and she counts it as a win. He takes the hat back, but doesn’t put it back on; he brushes her hair behind her ear and plops it down on top of her head. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh this is some set up for alex tearing max to pieces in the next bit for a certain amazing tove's [el-gilliath] prompt 😘😘😘

Liz settles down next to the fire pit with Michael and pulls out her phone as he’s staring up at the night sky. She sends a quick text off to Alex and Kyle trying to warn them of the shitstorm they’re about to walk into before pocketing her phone and turning her attention back to the sad cowboy. 

She reaches out, taking his left hand in her right and giving it a gentle squeeze. He rubs the back of her knuckles with his thumb in response, but won’t tear his eyes away from the shining heavens. 

“Think you could work some of that alien magic and get a fire going? It’s not exactly getting any warmer around here,” Liz asks.

Michael scoffs out a small laugh. “Good thing nobody’s making you stay out here, Ortecho.” 

Despite his words, some logs from the side of the house start floating their way seemingly by their own accord. When the kindling is all settled in the fire pit, Michael finally looks away from the stars, pulling his lighter out of his pocket. When the flames catch and start growing, he lets himself look at Liz. She’s still wearing his hat. 

\---

“You grab the door, I grab the food?” Kyle asks. Alex gives him a nod and shuts off the SUV. 

As Kyle’s getting out of the car, both their phones go off. They share a look, both seeing the underlying fear in each other’s eyes as to what could have gone wrong now. 

_ Pretty high tensions inside. Max is an asshole. Just a heads up. - Liz _

“The hell did we miss?” Kyle asks aloud. 

Alex shakes his head, staring down at his own screen. For Liz to say something like that about love-of-her-life Max Evans, he either did something monumentally bad or didn’t respect her dibs on the sofa. It’s hard to tell over text. 

Kyle carefully stacks the take out containers in his arms and following Alex up to the front door. He steps through the doorway into Max’s living room. He halts, trying to take in what the hell is going on long enough for Alex to stumble into him. Kyle has the sense of mind to throw out an arm to stabilize the food, at least. Alex opens his mouth to ask what he’s doing, but then he spots what Kyle is staring at. 

Isobel steps into Max’s space, getting into his face with a fire in her eyes neither of them have ever seen. She pokes a finger hard into Max’s sternum, making him take a step back, but she doesn’t let him get very far. 

“You think you can treat him as your personal punching bag? That’s your goddamn brother, Max! Would you do that to me? Noah?” Isobel asks him. With each question, her voice is getting louder. 

“Why are you defending him so much? In the past, what, ten years? All he’s ever been is selfish and reckless.

Alex pushes his way around Kyle to try and stop whatever this is from escalating anymore since Kyle and Noah both look ready to sit back with some popcorn and watch the show. 

“What’s going on?”

Max’s eyes flick over to him before going back to Isobel. She takes a step back and crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m waiting for an answer. I’m sure Alex would love to hear all the things you’ve been doing to Michael lately.”

Alex watches Max’s adam's apple bob in his throat as the man nervously swallows. 

“Care to explain, Evans?” Alex asks. His authoritative work stance clicks into place before he realizes he’s doing it. 

He opens his mouth, but no words come out. He shrugs and motions to Noah and Isobel as if they have all the answers. 

“What? Not willing to admit it to someone you  _ know _ can kick your ass?” Isobel spits out. 

“No! It’s just...this is a family matter, Izzy. Those two don’t need to be involved,” Max says. Noah scoffs. 

“Yeah right, Maximo. You’re suddenly pulling the family card after all night you’ve proved time and time again that you don’t even see Michael as counting? I know in this little family of ours you’ve never really had anyone to question you. You always just do what you want regardless of what your siblings, plural, have to say about it,” Noah says. His hand moves to the small of Isobel’s back and he leans into her a little bit. She nods along to his words, encouraging him. “Maybe you’re just scared about actually facing consequences for once in your life.”

They all jump a little bit when the door slams shut. Alex looks towards it to see Kyle grimacing. 

“Sorry. Didn’t realize it’d be that loud,” he explains. All their eyes follow him as he walks over to the kitchen and sets down all the food. When Kyle starts opening the containers searching for his own food, Alex clears his throat. “Oh, carry on. No need to stop on my account.”

Alex resists rolling his eyes. 

“Okay, someone tell me what’s happened since we left.”

\---

“How’s your dad been doing?”

Liz tears her eyes away from the flames and over to Guerin. She never imagined she’d become friends with someone like Michael Guerin--well, with someone she  _ thought  _ Michael was like. In reality, he’s one of the most honest friends she’s ever had. He jokes and acts all tough, but he cares with the intensity of all the stars he keeps longing after. 

No one else has asked her about her dad since Kyle gave him a diagnosis and she tested out some healthy churro pancakes. Not Alex, not Maria...not Max. She can’t really count Kyle in it all because he does ask, but only in his bedside-manner voice. From how Michael’s looking at her, she can see just how genuine he is. 

“Well, aside from the hissy fits when I won’t let him eat like a teenager he’s going alright,” she says. A smile slips onto her face thinking about his cursing storm the last time she handed him a burger on a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. “Suddenly eating healthy isn’t a picnic--” she stops herself and sighs, “pun so not intended, but he’s making a go at it which is really all I can hope for, I guess.”

\---

Alex takes in a measured breath, and another. 

“Can we go somewhere private for a moment, Evans? I doubt being outnumbered right now is helping the situation,” Alex says. His voice is easy and calm. Isobel opens her mouth, but when Alex’s eyes flick towards hers she closes it. 

Max blows out a sigh and nods. He leads the way back to Max’s bedroom. Alex follows close behind and makes sure the door is shut firmly behind them. This next part isn’t something he wants the whole group overhearing. 

“Thanks, Alex. This whole thing just got out of hand,” Max says. He sits down on the bed with his elbows on his knees. Alex clenches his jaw as he watches the tension leech out of Max’s shoulders and facial features. The man has no idea what’s coming…

“That’s one way of putting it, I suppose,” Alex lets out. “Why don’t you tell me your side of things. Noah and Isobel already shouted theirs.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! i'd love to know what you think down in the comments  
> my ask box over on [tumblr](http://bialiencowboy.tumblr.com/ask) is always open  
> edit: apparently nothing i do can be a one off, so i guess this is getting at least one more chapter. you can thank sarah (manesguerin)


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